Taco Garage is open for business

By all accounts, the food has been flying out of Taco Garage’s kitchen in just one week of business. On opening day, staffers said for a Monday, the downtown location at the Vistana building, corner of East Houston and Laredo streets, did brisker business than the Alamo Heights location.

There are now two places Vistana residents can eat while still in their jammies. A Subway opened in the street-level retail space last year.

On Monday, I dropped by (as did a good number of Vistana residents). First, the place looks amazing. They really pulled off the outdoor patio. It’s a combination of regular tables and bar stool seating facing the sidewalk. I wish the foot traffic on that end of Houston Street could live up to the patio. Inside, they utilized the kitchen set up of previous tenant IHOP, so you can see the cooks at work. The IHOP order counter has been converted into a small bar, which seats about four.

The tacos are cheap: no more than $2, and they’re good-sized. And they even have abuelitas — somebody’s abuelitas, anyway — there patting out the tortillas near the front door. And they taste it, too, they’re as fresh as can be. I had the beef carnitas and fajita and they were pretty good. And a friend ordered chips and queso for $2. Check out the menu.